RetroRewind – 1860: First Recording of Human Voice

Phonautogram recorded by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville. Each phonautogram was created by scratching wavy lines onto soot-covered paper. These recordings were never intended for playback. In 2008, the First Sounds collaborative used modern techniques to bring these recordings back to life.

This particular recording is Au Clair de la Lune – By the Light of the Moon and was recorded on April 9, 1860. The words being sung are believed to be ” Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot, prête moi—.”